


Find Another Case

by zipandzap95



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: BAMF John Watson, Defensive John, Developing Sherlock Holmes/John Watson, Fix-It, John's Got Sherlock's Back, M/M, Season 1 fix-it, Sebastian Gets His Ass Handed To Him, Sherlock Holmes & John Watson Friendship, Sherlock Holmes Has Feelings, The Blind Banker, john is snarky, s1e2, sebastian wilkes - Freeform, soldier John
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-22
Updated: 2020-03-22
Packaged: 2021-03-01 05:27:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23259892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zipandzap95/pseuds/zipandzap95
Summary: "The only thing that Sherlock had mentioned was that a bank had been broken into, and that was all. There was nothing more to the case than an email; of course, that wasn't unusual.No, what was unusual was how Sherlock was acting."- - - - - -In the Blind Banker, John denies being Sherlock's friend. What would have happened if John had done the opposite? How would Sherlock react?Have a tolerable quarantine!
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes & John Watson, Sherlock Holmes/John Watson
Comments: 19
Kudos: 327





	Find Another Case

The bank was enormous and busy when John entered through the revolving door, hot on Sherlock's heels. The taller, more mysterious man was already scanning the area with his grey eyes, more than likely logging in impossible deductions that John would never see.

John found himself looking around the bank, too, as if attempting to catch up to his genius of a flatmate. But, as usual, John could make out nothing.

"Yes," said John pensively. "When you said we were going to the bank..."

Sherlock didn't say anything. Of course he wouldn't. Instead, he stepped on the escalator leading to the higher floor, expecting John to follow him.

John saw a front desk immediately upon arriving, and Sherlock strode up to the receptionist, his face completely passive.

"Sherlock Holmes," Sherlock says, and the receptionist nods. She let them in without a word, and the two walked into the room which housed nothing but two chairs and a desk.

John looked around. "So it seems we'll have to wait."

"Yes, it would appear so."

Sherlock sat down, and then so did John. The two sat in easy silence as they waited patiently for a man named Sebastian Wilkes, whom John still didn't know.

The only thing that Sherlock had mentioned was that a bank had been broken into, and that was all. There was nothing more to the case than an email; of course, that wasn't unusual.

No, what was unusual was how Sherlock was acting.

He always behaves like a reserved man. John can observe that much. But this time, Sherlock was different; his shoulders were more stiffened than ever before, and his forehead had a certain crease that Sherlock only gets when solving particularly difficult problems.

And that only comes up when he's really stumped.

John blinked at himself. It unnerved him how much he already noticed about Sherlock in the short span that he had known him. Maybe the detective's deductive skills were rubbing off on him.

Before John could pursue that thought any longer, the door to the office opened, and a man dressed in a business suit walked in.

Immediately, John did not like him. He had met many types of men in the army during his missions, and this was a type of man that was the scum of the earth. After a long while of serving, John could spot the type from any distance.

Sebastian's sneer said it all. The arrogance lay in the straightness of his hair and the gleam in his eyes.

And John did not like the way Sebastian was looking at Sherlock.

"Sherlock Holmes."

"Sebastian."

John watched as the man clasped Sherlock's hand in both of his own, and John tried not to cringe. Yes, this was definitely one of those intolerable types.

"Howdy, buddy," Sebastian continued. He hadn't noticed John yet. "How long's it been? Eight years sine I last clapped eyes on you?"

Sherlock looked at Sebastian, and John realized with a cold shiver that he knew that stare. It was the stare that Sherlock used when he was trying very hard to hide each and every emotion that he was feeling. John braced himself.

"This is my _friend_ ," said Sherlock. "John Watson."

John kept a straight face. But alarms were going off in his head.

Sherlock never, _never,_ tells _anyone_ that he has a friend unless he had to.

Whatever this was, it was nothing more than a danger zone.

"Friend?" Sebastian asked. The condescending tone could have been dripping off of the mouth of a cave.

The banker was looking at John now, and immediately, the doctor's instincts kicked in faster than the bullet had when it had shot him through the shoulder.

There was no way that John was going to allow Sherlock to go through this.

"Yes. Yes, I am," John bit out. "I'm his friend and colleague. Nice to meet you."

John couldn't help but feel a surge of pride as he felt a change in the energy of the room, with both men staring at him, both for extremely different reasons.

"Oh. Oh, really?" Sebastian asked, faltering a bit.

"Yes, really." John stared down hard. "Is that so hard to believe?"

Sherlock was noticeably quiet. Sebastian cleared his throat.

"Um. No, not at all. Sherlock and I go...way back to uni. We were...close."

John scoffed. "Oh, really? That's not what Sherlock tells me."

Sebastian was sweating. John could see it, and he smiled ever so softly.

"That's right," John continued. "I met him when he took me on a case. His deduction skills? They're very impressive. But I suppose you didn't think so, did you?"

Sebastian laughed. He laughed like a businessman. "What, that trick? That trick he used to do, where he could look at you and tell you your whole life story?"

"Yes, that's the one."

John had no idea what he was doing, but he knew that it felt good. Sebastian, this jerk-off, was sitting in a chair in front of him trying to be the boss. And it was laughable to think that this banker actually believes that he's good at his job.

"Well, it was quite a long time ago, Doctor Watson," said Sebastian amicably. "I mean, we have allowed all of that disappear in the past. That trick -"

"It's not a trick."

"Excuse me?"

"I said," John enunciated. "It's not a trick. It's a bloody gift. It's a display of genius that tends to go over people's heads. People like you."

"People like me?" Sebastian tilted his head. "Doctor Watson, perhaps it would be in your best interest to get out of my office."

John sat back, studying him. "You want me to leave?"

Sebastian leaned forward on his elbows as his stare became solid.

"Look," said Sebastian, an edge to his voice. "I called you both here to do business. This consulting-detective fantasy you two have going on can't have all that much money involved. I assume you're even low on income. I can help you with that, as long as Sherlock here uses his deducing... _trick_ to solve my little problem. I can give your money, and I can take your money. It's all up to you. So I suggest you treat me with respect, or else this little offer is off of the table."

There was complete and utter silence in the office. John stared at Sebastian, and Sebastian stared back, neither of them backing down.

"You've been abroad a lot."

Sherlock had finally spoken. Both men turned to look at him. "What?" Sebastian asked.

"I said," Sherlock muttered. "You've been abroad a lot. Flew all the way round the world twice in a month."

Sebastian turned his body towards him, folding his hands very tightly.

"You want to play that game you did back at uni, back when you played your tricks, go ahead." Sebastian was seething. "But don't come here in a place of business, and tell me who I am or what I think. I do that on my own. So if you want to be that same old _freak..!"_

"And there's the word!" John exclaimed, pushing back his chair and standing up. "There's the bloody word, isn't it?"

Sebastian looked up with fiery anger in his eyes, confusion in his brows. "What?"

"Freak. That's all he is to you, right?" John asked. "Well this freak was the only chance you had at solving whatever problem you had."

"Doctor Watson, I think it's about time you leave."

"Oh, I am. And I'm bringing the talent with me." John grabbed his coat. "Come on, Sherlock, off out!"

"What?" Sebastian exclaimed as John whisked the door open. "Sherlock! You can't leave!"

Sherlock went willingly, and John could have sworn there was a skip in his step. "Well, it looks like that's what we're doing."

Sebastian was standing out of his office door now, yelling after them for the whole room to hear.

"I was going to pay you big money!" Sebastian called out. "You're complete fools! Freaks! The both of you!"

John turned around, facing Sebastian, and flipped him off with both hands before walking out of the office.

* * *

Everything that had happened would have been more believable if it had been a dream. But it wasn't.

Sherlock was quiet on the ride back to Baker Street. John could still feel his heart pump with adrenaline, and his face hurt from grinning so much.

The doctor was too afraid to look at Sherlock, though - after all, he had just cost them a case. That was a bit not good when the man was married to his work.

"You shouldn't have done that."

John sighed as Sherlock said that, and he buried his face in his hands. The grin was gone.

"Right, yeah, I know," John exhaled. "It was a mistake. That was extremely and thoroughly inappropriate."

"I'm talking about me."

John looked abruptly at Sherlock, the first time he had done so since the beginning of the whole encounter.

"What?" John said. "Sherlock, what do you mean?"

"I mean," said the detective roughly. "I am a freak, John. Sebastian was right, and he was going to pay me, and pay _us_ just for knowing it."

"Wait a second," John said, shifting in his seat. "You're actually sorry that we didn't get the bloody money? That's your main worry here? I thought you didn't care about money!"

"But you do."

"What?"

"I saw you looking at those bills today, John," said Sherlock tightly. "That's the only reason why I took this bloody case."

"I can't believe you!"

"Well, that's not new."

"I mean - you really would have gone through with that case? Even after the things that he said? Do you really think that low of yourself?"

"I hope you remember, John, that I have the ability to disregard all of my emotions." Sherlock looked at him. "I have the ability to shape into something similar to an automaton, and remain that way until the job is done. I don't care what Sebastian says. I've heard it all anyway. It would not have been a problem."

"No."

"No?"

"No, Sherlock! I'm not having you taking cases from absolute wankers just because of how it was! I'm here now, and that means just one more person in the world that knows you are not a freak."

Sherlock looked at him silently for a moment. Then, "Did you mean what you said?"

"Quite frankly, I don't remember half of what I said," John replied. "I think I blacked out a bit, honestly."

"I mean," Sherlock bit off. "When you affirmed that you were my friend."

John looked at him. Then he turned towards the front.

"Obviously."

**Author's Note:**

> Oh! Do my eyes deceive me? No kiss scene?! No Sex Scene?! I must be evolving...
> 
> Hope you enjoyed the fic!


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